Toyota Philippines hosts ASEAN mobility program

MANILA, Philippines — Toyota Motor Philippines’ automotive technical training center recently played host to the commencement of the Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Mobility program, a cooperative initiative between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Republic of Korea (ROK).

In a statement, TMP School of Technology (TMP Tech) said it was chosen by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to provide two batches of participants from ASEAN member states with a quality training on automotive servicing.

TMP Tech said it was chosen for the program as it is a TESDA ‘Two STARS’ excellence awardee for Automotive Servicing National Certification (NC) Level IV.

“The program spans three months, including two-month in-school training, one-month immersive internship at Toyota dealership partners, and various socio-cultural activities,” TMP Tech said.

It added that the first batch to complete the program consisted of 21 students and four faculty members from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

“They underwent TMP Tech’s Specialized Automotive Servicing course that covers the fundamentals of engine, overhauling of gasoline and diesel engine, repairing of manual and automatic transmission or transaxle, chassis, and the introduction of the Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) system,” TMP Tech said.

The second batch will start early next year, the training hub said.

The ASEAN-ROK TVET Mobility Program’s primary objective is to bridge the gap between demand and supply of priority vocational skills within the ASEAN region, with automotive being among the five priority vocational skills, which also include electrical and electronics, building construction, hospitality and tourism, and computer and information services.

As a collaboration among the Department of Education (DepEd), TESDA, TMP Tech, and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), the program represents a significant milestone in advancing automotive education and skills development in the ASEAN region.

Through this partnership, TMP Tech aims to enrich the participants with industry-linked knowledge and skills required to excel in the automotive arena.

Last year, TMP Tech hosted a week-long training for the representatives of 13 member countries, including the Philippines, of the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC), aimed at upgrading TVET systems in Asia and the Pacific region.

It was reported that 18 foreign participants who are TVET experts and trainers flew in from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Fiji, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Two Filipino TMP Tech instructors also joined the program.

During the program, TMP Tech officers and faculty designed and delivered lessons, as well as conducted hands-on sessions on topics such as gasoline and diesel engine control, electronically controlled transmission, continuously variable transmission, and Toyota’s hybrid electric vehicle technology.